Having confirmed that speaking Korean was no problem, I spoke up at once.
"Then I'll ask right away."
— Yes, understood.
A moment later, I heard a trrrr sound, and the call was transferred to the Japanese association.
— This is the Japanese Hunters Association! Are you a hunter affiliated with the Republic of Korea?
The pronunciation was awkward, but not to the point where communication was impossible. And unlike the Korean association, the voice sounded extremely urgent.
"This is Hunter Yoo Chan-seok. I received an emergency request from Fukuoka City."
— Yoo Chan-seok… Yoo Chan-seok? One moment, please. I'll transfer the call. Please, just a moment!
The line clicked again, and almost instantly, a different voice came through.
— This is Kondo Tetsuya, Chairman of the Japanese Hunters Association. Are you truly Hunter Yoo Chan-seok?
"Yes. I was contacted regarding the Fukuoka situation."
Before I could say anything more, the man named Tetsuya hurriedly spoke first.
— We are aware that you are currently on an assignment! However, please consider our situation as well—could you prioritize our request? Even one person would help immensely. If you come, it would be a tremendous help!
Since they'd already ignored a request using "eating a meal" as an excuse, there was no way refusing because of an ongoing assignment would be punishable. The chairman seemed most afraid of that fact.
"About that request—you see, it seems to be related to the assignment we're currently on."
I quickly explained the situation and my hypothesis. Chairman Kondo swallowed hard after hearing me.
— Are you saying you intend to eliminate the Grade-2 Erosion Core on Tsushima Island?
The question was thick with doubt, and that reaction was completely understandable. Strictly speaking, my only achievement so far was dealing with a single Grade-3 Erosion Core.
So suddenly claiming I'd handle a Grade-2 would naturally sound absurd.
"Do you really think me going would make that big of a difference?"
— ...
He couldn't answer. The reason he was so desperate wasn't because he had high expectations of us.
To put it in Japanese terms, the situation was so dire that he'd borrow even a cat's paw if he could.
"Rather than going there and being barely useful, why don't you take a gamble—bet on me taking down the Grade-2 Erosion Core."
— Are you telling us to put Fukuoka City up as the stake?
What a heartbreaking way to put it.
"Whether you agree or not, we're going. That won't change."
At my words, Han Sang-ah opened her mouth as if to say something, so I lightly raised a hand to stop her. Stay out of it, chaebol miss.
This negotiation table is for adults.
— Then why did you contact us at all?
A perfectly reasonable question.
"If you agree, we'll do our utmost to eliminate the Grade-2 Erosion Core. And since this will count as responding to Japan's emergency request…"
— You're asking for compensation?
You weren't planning to get this for free, were you?
"You don't have to give us anything. Then we'll just kill some time here and head back home."
— You insane—
In truth, that wasn't really an option. I had plenty of reasons why the Grade-2 Erosion Core on Tsushima absolutely had to be destroyed. But there was no way he could know that.
Which meant this bluff would work.
In the end, Chairman Kondo had only one choice.
— Very well. Hunters Yoo Chan-seok and Han Sang-ah. We will consider your mission as having responded to Japan's emergency request.
"This conversation is being recorded, right?"
I heard a shout that sounded like All right! With the call over, Han Sang-ah looked at me.
"You could've just helped them, you know."
"There's a difference between doing a good deed and doing something stupid for free."
If what I did benefited someone, then a portion of that benefit should naturally be mine.
Failing to claim what should fall into your own bowl isn't kindness—it's stupidity.
"Well, you're rich, so I guess it doesn't matter if you let money slip through your fingers."
At my words, Han Sang-ah replied,
"It's true that I have a lot of money, but that doesn't mean I have poor financial sense. I studied quite a bit."
"I said it wouldn't matter—not that you actually let it slip away."
She nodded at that. Some people might say, What kind of financial sense could a rich girl really have if she only learned it from books?
But it's not only people who lived through the Japanese occupation who dislike Japan, right?
"There aren't any monsters following us."
"Looks like all the monsters on this island headed toward Fukuoka."
If that was the case, things might actually get easier. With Han Sang-ah's terrifying driving skills, we reached Tsushima Airport like an arrow.
"That it?"
Without a single obstruction, we arrived right in front of the airport. It really seemed like all the monsters had cleared out.
At the center of the airport, an entrance leading into the Erosion Core stood open.
And standing in front of that entrance were—
"Kids."
A strikingly beautiful woman was leaning against a car, dressed in a jet-black taekwondo uniform embroidered with a dragon in gold thread.
"Jesus Christ. What, did you stitch your face together with a sewing machine or something?"
Seriously—how many piercings does she have? Ten just on her ears, four on her lips, two on her tongue, two on her nose…
Counting roughly, there were about thirty piercings embedded in her face.
There's such a thing as moderation. Exaggerating only slightly, the piercings alone must weigh at least a kilo. No matter how you look at it, she's human—but staring at that excessive amount of metal, she almost doesn't look like one.
"What filthy language. Anyway, nice to meet you. I'm Kim Ji-hyun. Consider this my greeting."
She wasn't carrying a weapon. Looks like beating people senseless with her bare hands is her specialty. Apparently displeased with my comment, she slapped the car she'd been leaning on—bang—then lifted it clean off the ground and hurled it straight at me.
What the hell?! She threw a car like it was an empty soda can?!
I dove aside to avoid it, then let out a hollow laugh as the airborne car clattered and rolled across the ground.
"That strength's fit for a general."
She's seriously strong.
"That general intends to capture you alive. Sacrificing a handful of ordinary people just isn't enough to squeeze out a satisfying monster."
"Are you even human?" I asked.
Kim Ji-hyun grinned and casually wiped her mouth.
"Human through and through."
"So a human sacrifices other humans to churn out monsters. Tragic. Truly."
In response, Kim Ji-hyun raised her middle finger.
"It's necessary. The elder told me to explain the situation even to sacrifices meant for the greater cause."
The piercings embedded all over her body began to hum softly, glowing faintly. So they weren't just for decoration.
As Kim Ji-hyun clenched her fist, a vicious cracking sound rang out from her joints.
"We are descendants of Dangun. We unite and move for a single purpose."
I wasn't particularly curious. But she looked like she intended to keep talking whether we listened or not.
"To maintain and strengthen the Republic of Korea's hegemony—until it becomes a fucking invincible superpower no one dares challenge."
Figures. The moment I heard the organization's name, Descendants of Dangun, I could smell the nationalism from a mile away.
"Just as my body cannot become another's, this nation cannot become another. No eternity is more perfect than a people who share blood and history."
She jabbed a finger into her own chest and laughed.
"A quote from Baekbeom Kim Gu."
"Seems like Korea's already a superpower to me."
The won had become the most trusted currency after gold, foreigners were desperate to get into Korea, and hunters from associations worldwide were required to learn Korean.
Judging by the atmosphere, learning Korean had become nearly mandatory outside the hunter world too.
Wasn't that already superpower status?
At my words, Kim Ji-hyun's eyes gleamed.
"Not enough. We will make this proud nation into an unshakable golden tower—immutable and overwhelmingly dominant."
She spread both arms as she continued.
"Think about the Korean Peninsula's history. Groveling before China, needing permission even for our country's name, sending tribute, kings bowing to envoys sent by those Chinese bastards! Yeongeunmun, Mohwagwan—"
"You studied history hard. Ever thought about taking a certification exam?"
Kim Ji-hyun shot me a cold glare.
"During the Enlightenment Period, Western bastards barged in with gunboats and armies, forced unequal treaties, and looted our resources at will. The Japanese occupation? Do I even need to say more?"
Rage twisted her face as she clenched her fist again. She's got a lot of anger in her.
"We'll return it all. Every last bit."
Forcing unequal treaties, stealing resources, abducting women en masse into sexual slavery, human experimentation, invalidating foreign presidential elections without Korea's consent—
Kim Ji-hyun rattled off her bucket list nonstop. I got the general idea.
"So you want to crush other countries with overwhelming power and pay back every humiliation and disgrace in full?"
"What, got a problem with that?"
Honestly? Not really. Whatever goal you've got, as long as it doesn't collide with mine, I've got no reason to stop you.
But there was something else I wanted to know.
"The key reason Korea holds its current dominant position is Erosion Cores and hunters."
Kim Ji-hyun nodded.
"If all Erosion Cores disappeared, Korea couldn't maintain this status."
"Right."
Which meant these Descendants of Dangun types…
"You don't intend to end this situation."
"Correct."
That's where our opinions start to clash.
"The world is falling apart. Do you seriously not know what should come first?"
"No problem. We've found a way to control Erosion Cores—and we've succeeded."
"Wait. That's real? That changes things."
If Erosion Cores could be controlled and used freely, then fine. The world was already going to hell—having Erosion Cores under control meant I could finally live a stable life again.
In that case, I'd be more than willing to cooperate. Hell, there'd be no reason to fight them at all.
But first, there was one thing I had to confirm.
"So how many successes have you had?"
"…That's none of your business."
Sounds like there were more failures than successes. Otherwise, she'd have proudly announced it. What a shame.
"Once your success rate beats a coin toss, come ask for my cooperation. I'll gladly help."
But not now. Talking about an overwhelming superpower and revenge when you haven't even finished clinical trials? That's like launching a water rocket and dreaming about firing nuclear missiles.
As if I'd cooperate after hearing that nonsense.
Kim Ji-hyun looked at me like I was ridiculous.
"Why the hell would we need your cooperation? You two are just sacrifices anyway."
"All that grand talk, and in the end, that's just more hot air."
Who's becoming a sacrifice?
Facing Kim Ji-hyun head-on, I ignited paradoxical monster flame at the tip of my spear.
"Come at me if you're ready, sewing-machine face."
Everything you've spent your life building could disappear in an instant.
"Ready my ass—someone who's not even worth a single—"
BOOM.
With a thunderous burst of compressed air, I surged straight toward Kim Ji-hyun.